Zepf Center is dedicated to creating hope & recovery through integrated, person-centered services. Building on the successes of the 2021 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Grant, Zepf Center has received a four-year, $4 million grant to continue providing excellent, holistic care throughout Northwest Ohio. The grant—one of only 65 available nationwide—was awarded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and will go into effect on Oct. 1, 2023.

“We are truly honored to continue providing accessible behavioral health services in Northwest Ohio,” said Zepf Center CEO Deb Flores. “This grant allows us to expand our reach and deliver excellent care as we strive to be the leader in hope and recovery in the Toledo area.”

Zepf Center offers a wide range of mental and behavioral health services to the surrounding community. This work is made possible by grant dollars that support specific, evidence-based models of treatment and client experience. This most recent award from SAMHSA will support Zepf Center’s mission and allow it to continue providing comprehensive, integrated, coordinated, and person-centered behavioral health care through its CCBHC designation.

Communities with access to CCBHC services typically experience decreased emergency department visits and hospitalizations. This not only leads to a reduction in cost to local healthcare systems but also results in a better quality of life for patients. 

The CCBHC program and staff are based out of Zepf Center’s Nebraska Ave. facility which is co-located with Genoa Pharmacy and Path Labs, and the home base for Primary Care Services.

The CCBHC model ensures access to 24/7/365 crisis care alongside care coordination with hospitals, law enforcement and social service agencies. Additionally, the National model enables patients to access high-quality treatment, including mental health services and medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorder diagnoses.

CCBHCs were created to transform mental health and substance use treatment and provide dependable funding for community outpatient mental health treatment. To accomplish this, the CCBHC program provides reimbursement through Medicaid for provided services at higher, more competitive rates than community mental health centers previously received. This sustainable funding also ensures agencies like Zepf Center can provide a more comprehensive range of services for clients.

“The expansion of Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics is part of President Biden’s commitment to expand and strengthen equitable behavioral health for all Americans,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. “These clinics serve anyone who requests care for mental health or substance use and connect people to the care they need.”

Like other CCBHC designees, Zepf Center is required to meet federal standards for the range of services that they provide, and they are required to get people into care quickly. CCBHCs are also obligated to serve anyone who requests care for mental health or substance use, regardless of their ability to pay, place of residence, or age. This includes developmentally appropriate care for children and youth.

For more information about the services available from Zepf Center, visit our website or call 419.831.7701.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org